CANMORE – A commemorative plaque will be placed at Quarry Lake Park to recognize one of the longtime supporters and a major financial contributor to the park.
Canmore council approved the plaque after the Rocky Mountain Heritage Foundation asked for a way to recognize Stan Milner’s contributions to the popular park’s creation and funding.
“Mr. Milner stepped up to work with the Town to protect those lands into the future and the foundation that was created was set up in such a way that the Town and the foundation have equal voting rights,” said Mayor John Borrowman, adding the 50/50 split was an intentional decision so neither side would have more power than the other that could lead to it being sold one day.
“I really believe it’s important the community not only today, but in future years, understand what might have happened there, and recognize the important contributions of people like Mr. Milner to protecting those lands for the community’s future enjoyment.”
Known for its trails, swimming, sightseeing and off-leash dog park, Quarry Lake is one of the more popular spots in the Bow Valley.
“Somebody stepped in and made a big contribution to the Bow Valley with their financial contribution,” Coun. Vi Sanford said. "It’s nice we can recognize it because we’ve all had such benefit from it since 1999. It’s important we recognize that contribution and celebrate it.”
The Quarry Lake project began in the late 1990s to have 91 hectares (225 acres) of Crown land rezoned to allow for a golf course surrounding the lake that had been created by Gerry Stephenson and other local miners.
The lake was previously the No. 3 open pit coal mine that was active between 1969 to 1971 and in 1906-07 at the No. 4 seam, which was about 210 metres below the surface.
The original reclamation took place in the 1970s with debris and equipment removed and grass planted.
A developer attempted to buy the land in 1996, but the community expressed it be used for public recreation, according to historical records.
“The Friends of Quarry Lake are united in their belief this area should be retained in perpetuity as a park with the vision of providing wide open, natural, green space for generations of Canmore citizens and visitors for walking with our families, pets, friends and visitors,” states a 1996 letter from the Friends of Quarry Lake sent to then Banff-Cochrane MLA Brian Evans.
The foundation and the Town bought the land from the province in a 50-50 partnership, with the purchase funded by Milner. Since then, the foundation has provided funding commitments for capital projects, while management of the land is shared between the two organizations.
Milner was the primary founder and financial supporter of the Rocky Mountain Heritage Foundation, which was previously known as the Quarry Lake Heritage Foundation and the Quarry Lake Park Society.
“Mr Milner played a critical role in assuring the long-term protection of the Quarry Lake Park lands,” noted a report to council.
Among the help Milner provided was financially helping the project come to fruition, and with infrastructure needs in the past two decades.
“Without Mr. Milner’s leadership and financial support in the creation of Quarry Lake Park more than 20 years ago, this well-loved public facility may not have been protected from the development that was proposed on those lands at the time,” stated the report.
Milner was born in 1930 in Calgary and graduated from the University of Alberta, leading to a lengthy career in the oil and gas sector. He founded Chieftain Development Co. Ltd. and after it was bought by the Alberta Energy Company in 1988, he created Chieftain International Inc. in 1989.
He served as an alderman for Edmonton city council in 1962 and was a well-known supporter of the arts, helping lead to the creation of a downtown Edmonton library branch. He later funded the children’s library and its subsequent renovation.
Milner was an honorary colonel with the South Alberta Light Horse Regiment and also founded its regimental foundation.
Long recognized as a philanthropist, he donated to many organizations and served on several boards.
He received the Alberta Order of Excellence in 1995, the Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Order of Canada in 2003.
Milner died on April 21, 2021. He was 91.
Coun. Joanna McCallum noted how the park is “a very loved location in town by locals and visitors” and it has become a fixture in the community.
“It’s quite a very humble request of the foundation based on the contribution Mr. Milner has made through the foundation to Quarry Lake Park," she said.
